Successfully Onboarding Staff, Part II
This is a follow-up to this article, which focused on planning for and making the most of the orientation period (aka first few weeks) of a new employee’s onboarding period. Today, I’m diving into the rest of the onboarding period. While your timeframe for this may differ based on your organization’s developmental stage and the complexity of the job, let’s assume it covers weeks 3-12 of your new hire’s tenure.
As orientation wraps up, the new team member has navigated the initial schedule of meetings, trainings, and paperwork you set up for them. They have met with key internal collaborators and culture-bearers, been introduced to the broader team, spent time with their manager and direct reports, set their 90-day goals, and now fully own their calendar. Way to go, newbie!
And the work continues - As the organization’s people leader and/or the new employee’s manager, it’s important to continue supporting your team member and keep his/her/their momentum going. Here are some tips re: how.
Get Into the (Consistent) Groove
The only reason “consistent” is in parentheses is because Madonna didn’t sing it, but it may be the most important one of all. Establishing a consistent groove (aka routine) with your new team member is key to a successful onboarding. This includes:
Regular check-ins…that you don’t reschedule or cancel 😉
A check-in format that sets clear expectations regarding your management style and communication expectations. It should also include plenty of time for them to ask their (many) questions and to share their (emerging) observations with you. When I have onboarded folks into highly collaborative, large, and/or new roles, I have extended check-in times by 30 minutes for the first ~8 weeks or so to make sure we had the time we needed.
Feedback and/or guidance on their meeting schedule - Are they connecting with the people they need to? Are they in any spaces they don’t need to be in? We all know how quickly meeting mania can kick in, so help them play defense and be judicious about how they are spending their time
For less experienced staff - help them set and expect them to report on weekly priorities that align with their 90-day goals.
Buddy them up!
According to a survey by Bamboo HR, 86% of new employees appreciated the support of an “onboarding buddy.” In a small organization, this could be their manager. If possible, it could be beneficial to pair them with someone outside of their team who has deep experience in the organization and can guide the new team member’s understanding of culture, norms, lingo, etc. They can be a safe space for questions that feel silly or observations that feel untested. This is especially important in virtual/hybrid cultures, where relationship-building and connections tend to be harder to come by.
Watch out for - but don’t judge or fix - overwhelm
I often coach executives through their transition to new organizations, and I have noticed some trends in the onboarding experience. In the first few weeks, they are buzzing with excitement and eager to jump in. Their work in weeks ~3-9 allow them to get a sense of things, and they are starting to put the pieces together. So much is still new, and the learning and work is starting to pile up. Starting around the three-month mark, a sense of overwhelm can start to seep in. This is especially important to be aware of because if you are managing a team member to their 90–day mark, you may be inclined to think, “My work here is done. Good job, me!” However, this could be a time when they need you the most - they are through the onboarding and need to start delivering. Keep an eye on, and be sure to align on, priorities at this time. And don’t forget to validate the things they are doing well.
Get feedback - twice
Running a successful onboarding process is challenging - in fact, Gallup reports that only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a great job onboarding new employees. So in good news, with a little effort, you can probably do better than most! To help you along the way, solicit feedback from your new employees at two key points - at the end of their onboarding period and 3-6 months later. They may not remember everything, so review the key activities, meetings, and trainings included in their onboarding, and ask to what extent they prepared the team member for success in their role. Ask them what changes they would make, if they had to do it all over again, knowing what they know now. If you don’t have an HR function, be sure to share this feedback with your fellow managers so the organization can learn and improve each time a new team member joins your organization.
